What to Know about Leaking Cast Iron Pipes

What you should know about leaking cast iron pipes – Plumbing pipes will leak, corrode or burst at some point in their lives. That’s one of the realities of plumbing systems. The best one can hope for says Real Estate Management of the Volusia Countyto repair or replace the pipes before this happens or to detect the problem in time; before it does major damage.

But a lot also depends on the type of pipes you have in your plumbing systems. Generally, your sewer line and water pipes are made of one of these three materials: clay, cast iron, or PVC. Clay whistles are the oldest of these three, having fallen into disuse more than 80 years ago.

Cast iron pipes are not as old as clay pipes and were used until the late 1980s. But even if cast iron pipes are no longer used, it is not surprising that houses have sewage or water pipes made of cast iron. What are the problems with cast iron pipes?

What you should know about cast iron pipes

Cast pipes were introduced around 1900 as a replacement for clay pipes. These were commonly used until the 1980’s when they were no longer used for residential plumbing. But even after the advent of PVC, cast iron pipes continued to be used, particularly as underground plumbing.

Cast iron pipes have a life expectancy of 50-100 years, but this only applies to above-ground installations. Once cast iron pipes are buried in the ground, their life expectancy decreases by 50%. What are the reasons for this shorter lifespan?

Cast iron is a form of iron, and as you know, iron rusts. The rate at which iron rusts depends on how much water it is exposed to. Cast iron pipes above ground are less exposed to water than cast iron pipes underground, hence the difference in life expectancy.

When cast iron pipes are laid in the ground, they are exposed to moisture from both sides. On the outside, the pipes make contact with the soil around them and get wet. At the same time, they are also wet on the inside due to the water constantly flowing through them.

From the first minute you put a cast iron pipe in the ground, it begins to deteriorate. Other things besides water can accelerate the wear of cast iron pipe and affect how quickly the pipe leaks. These include:

Detergent, shampoo and soap

These contain corrosive substances that will react with the metal in cast iron pipes and attack the materials in those pipes. Whether it’s laundry detergent or dishwashing detergent, they’ll speed up the deterioration of your cast iron pipes.

Chemical drain cleaners

Chemical drain cleaners are bad for plumbing systems, whether you have PVC or cast iron pipes. That’s not to say that chemical drain cleaners won’t unclog your drains. They clear clogs, but they also damage your pipes.

This is due to the active ingredients in drain cleaners such as sulfuric acid or other corrosive substances. Acids and cast-iron pipes don’t mix well; Using chemical drain cleaners when you have iron plumbing is a bad idea.

Acid soils

The condition of the soil also influences it Performance and service life of your cast iron pipes. Acidic contaminants have the same effect on cast iron pipes as drain cleaners. If the soil in your area is acidic, the cast iron pipes will break and leak more quickly.

fat accumulation

Grease can accumulate in PVC pipes and clog drain pipes. But the effect of grease in cast-iron pipes is worse. Grease doesn’t just clog a cast iron pipe; it will cause it to rot.

If grease remains in any part of your cast iron piping for an extended period of time, it will result in what is known as “duct rot”. This is where grease eats away at an entire section of pipe until the dirt outside of the pipe is visible from the inside. In this case, you cannot simply clean the pipe. You must replace it.

If you still have cast iron pipes in your plumbing system, what can you do about it? If you are experiencing slow drainage, leaks, or persistent residue, you can have your pipes checked to determine the source of the problem. A sewer camera inspection will tell you the condition of your pipes and help you decide what to do next.

But if you really want to permanently fix the problems, your best option is to replace your pipes. Replacing pipes in a plumbing system doesn’t come cheap, and you may not be willing to bear those costs. That is understandable. However, if you really want to worry about your plumbing system, it’s time to start planning and preparing.

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